4500 Miles Across 8 States and Back
Traveling has always been my most favored of activities. Cruises, planes, trains, and automobiles have taken me to a lot really interesting places with a lot of different people.
Our most recent travels took us from Missouri through Iowa and into Minnesota. Thanks to my crummy tummy, I saw my doctor at Mayo Clinic. I can honestly tell you that they are one of the most efficient groups of medical professionals ever. I saw my doctor on Monday, had my first round of tests on Tuesday, and Dave and I were on our way to Bothell, Washington by Tuesday afternoon. We were scheduled to return after our trip to see Dave’s daughter on the return trip home, but that did not put a damper on our trip.
From Minnesota we traveled to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and then Washington State. The beauty of this trip was absolutely jaw dropping. Minnesota was filled with wind farms that stretched at one point as far as my eyes could see. Against the backdrop of the farmland upon which they were rooted, it was something to behold. As we crossed into South Dakota the hills began to roll. The beans and cornstalks reflected the time of year and need for harvest. I can’t be sure, but I am sure that we saw fully ripened wheat waving back and forth in the gentle breeze. Wyoming and Montana we got a look at the badlands. I absolutely cannot imagine being a pioneer trying to get from point “A” to “B” in one piece. The tumbleweeds and slight streams that snaked through the countryside sparkled as we drove I90 at 80 mph. The goal…Washington state.
Our final state before Washington was Idaho. As we drove we noticed these huge truck that were filled but not covered. It is funny now, but at the time, I kept saying to Dave that those trucks should be covered to prevent those big rocks from flying out. He let me go on and on until finally he informed me that those were potatoes. I spent about 30 miles wondering what would happen if a potato hopped out of that big old truck and landed on our windshield. By the end of the trip, it was a rock that landed on our windshield with about a billion bugs. A tiny crack formed and grew. I am so thankful that it wasn’t a potato.
Washington state rolled into our view with the most beautiful of scenery. Traffic slowed our pace, rolled the windows down, and took in the sights and smells of the mountains. It was like Vermont, only on the west coast. The fresh pine scent was absolutely amazing! Crazy tall pines….whew! We had a couple of cool, rainy days and then the temperatures were in the 70’s. Brian and Tracey were amazing hosts and planned trips to Seattle and Leavenworth. Tracey and I even got in a little shopping at a local quilt store and DSW. I came home with material to make a cool new quilt and three new pairs of shoes. The little German town of Leavenworth had some of the coolest handmade crafts. We even had lunch at a quaint little restaurant on the square. I love that Dave had some quality time with Tracey. Father/daughter time that only comes in bursts for him and Tracey. We only had a week, five days, before the trip in reverse began.
We traveled back the same way we came and experienced all the sights over again. A few additional days at Mayo and then home to Missouri. Granger, who had spent the weeks at Tammi was happy to see us and even happier when his furry self was home with his bed. It did not take him long to take a dip in the lake.
A lovely trip…that is what we had. Time alone together. Time with Tracey and Brian. Time to see the place we call home. We live in a great country. We need only experience it to see that what we hear on the news or see in the media is not us. We met a lot of amazing people and saw some amazing sights. I can’t wait until our next trip….